BOOK REVIEW

   POETRY OF THE ROCKS: 
  CAPPADOCIA

 Maestro Press
228 pages


Known in antiquity as Land of the Beautjful Horses, Cappadocia is 
a unique masterpiece created by nature and 
the hand of man.


Many different peoples, religions and cultures 
have mingled here over the centuries to create 
the extraordinary synthesis which is 
Cappadocia.

All those interested in nature, history and art, and those drawn by the mysterious fascination of light which makes this landscape a magnet for the photographer, find common ground here. Many books have been written about this region and many albums of photographs published, but none have done full justice to this place of enchantment. ‘Cappadocia, Poetry of the Rocks” published by Maestro Press has attempted to encompass every aspect of the cultural mosaic and natural beauty of the region. Edited by Devrim Yaman, this lavishly illustrated book has been written by the well known writer Faruk Pekin, with an introductory article by Tank Dursun. The first section is a general account of the architecture, culture and religious life of Cappadocia in past centuries.

There follow accounts of the rock churches in and around the Göreme valley, and descriptions of Ürgüp,the underground cities, and the valleys 
of Soğanlı and Ihlara. The final section covers places like Aksaray, Niğde, Nevşehir, Hacı Bektaş and Kayseri, which are not usually included in books on the subject. In addition the bird sanctuary of Sultan Sazlığı, mediaeval kervansarays, and weaving, which is one of the most important handcrafts of the region, have not been forgotten Cappadocia, Poetry in the Rock” stands out from among earlier books on the subject with its well written text, meticulous editing and magnificent photographs.